I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to self-storage facilities, commonly referred to as "mini-storage" facilities, wherein a customer may rent from available storage units for the purpose of safeguarding various articles for a given period of time. More particularly, the present invention relates to an automated storage system comprising a plurality of self-storage facilities which are collectively networked to a central command center wherein a customer may communicate with the central control module in one of several fashions to allow the customer to choose from and undertake various transactional options without the need for an attendant.
II. Discussion of the Prior Art
Self-storage facilities are well known in the art and generally comprise a plurality of individual storage units disposed within a secured perimeter for the purpose of safeguarding/storing articles. In a typical arrangement, each storage unit includes a storage compartment disposed within a garage or shed-like structure for receiving goods/articles therewithin, a door member for accessing the interior of the storage compartment, and a locking mechanism for fastening the door member in a closed position to securely maintain the contents of the storage compartment when unattended. The secured perimeter typically includes a fence or barrier surrounding the storage facility having at least one gate for exiting and entering, wherein gate access is restricted to only those individuals having proper clearance or authorization to enter the storage facility so as to deter theft and/or vandalism. The storage units are usually offered for rent for various periods of time such that a person in need of short or long term storage may simply lease one or more storage units until such time that they are able to transfer or otherwise dispose of the stored goods. While the self-storage facilities of the prior art do accomplish the goal of providing temporary storage space to people in need thereof, there are several significant disadvantages which precipitate the need for the present invention.
First, the renting of the individual storage units is typically accomplished by manning each storage facility with at least one attendant on duty who can transact with potential customers and assign available storage units. This is problematic, however, in that a separate office or attendant station is required to provide a place for the attendant to conduct business with the general public and perform the various rental transactions for the self storage facility, thereby increasing the overhead costs associated with operating the self storage facility. More specifically, the office building or attendant station is costly in terms of the materials used for construction, as well as the costs of heating, air conditioning, and/or equipping the office space with the tools for conducting business. The office building is also costly in that it reduces the overall amount of real estate within the storage facility which may be used for storage units, thereby effectively reducing the number of storage units which can be offered to the public. Furthermore, the salary which must be paid to the attendant adds to the overhead costs of providing the storage facility which, as will be appreciated, may translate into higher rental costs for the customer.
Another significant drawback with the self storage facilities of the prior art is that the process of renting storage units can be burdensome and time consuming. To further explain, self storage attendants are typically only required to be on the premises during restricted business hours, such as from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. This can lead to lost business opportunity and/or frustration on the part of potential customers who are unable to visit the storage facility during the preselected business hours in that the potential customers are unable to transact with an attendant to rent from the available storage units. Moreover, when moving to a remote geographical location, such as during a job transfer, an individual may have to engage in a multitude of phone calls to the various self storage facilities in the new local in order to inquire as to the availability of storage units, as well as to comparison shop with regard to rental fees and terms. This may end up being quite expensive for the person moving, both with regard to the costs of the usually long-distance phone calls, in addition to the amount of time consumed inquiring with the rental agents or attendants at the remote self storage facilities.
A need therefore exists for an improved self storage system which overcomes the aforementioned deficiencies in the prior art. To be more specific, a need exists for an improved self storage system which obviates the need for an attendant to be on duty for the purpose of transacting with potential customers and assigning available storage units. A need also exists for an improved self storage system which does not require a separate office or attendant station so as to maximize the amount of real estate within each self storage facility which may be used for storage units and reduce the overhead associated with operating self storage facilities. A further need exists for an improved self storage system which allows potential customers to conduct business with self storage facilities in a variety of different geographical locations at any given time in the day and without incurring expense.